David Sylvian – Dead Bees On A Cake

As promised: a double black vinyl pressing (with even different artwork than the white vinyl RSD release!) was just announced via Pledge Music for late October 2018 release. Let’s hope for better QC on this pressing.. too many similar sounding complaints on the RSD version to dismiss or ignore.

I just received my copy of this wonderful record from David Sylvian. I must it trepidation after reading some of the reviews on this site. From the moment Kenny Wheelers flugelhorn started on I Surrender, I was hooked. First of all, there is no poor pressing from what I am hearing. I am hearing an open soundstage, detail in the dynamics and wonderful separation of musicians from each other. My gear consists of a 1976 Linn LP12 that has been upgraded on every front to current day Linn gear. Tone arm is Linn Ekos, with a Lyra Delos cartridge and a Audio Research tube phono pre amp. It is my belief that perhaps it is not the pressings issue at all.....

A wonderful record and recording... am glad to add to my collection.

Not bad, not bad at all, i was expecting the worst by reading the reviews,...I took a chance and bought the last copy at my local record store in Montreal, maybe i was lucky, but i'm very happy with this pressing, it sounds really good..Of course there is the usual " crackle" here and there, but nothing to take you away from the joy of listening to this beautiful album. i did not give it an intense cleaning before listening, just a brush. It is not a bad pressing, it's just a little bit dirty,...I suspect that with a good cleaning, all will be perfect.

Bought on Record Store Day three weeks ago, finally listen today, no issues for me !

After reading all the comments and reviews I was really listening to (rather then enjoying) my first spin. Some minor issues with the pressing was evident on A1, after that I have not experienced any problems at all. I have listened to all 4 sides several times, also giving the album a proffesional clean to see if there was any improvement on A1 - no improvement from "washing" the record. I listened one more time on much higher volume then usual and the both records sounds amazing (exclusive some occasional cracking on I Surrender). Both records sit absolutley flat on the turntable, great dynamics. Pro-ject 2xperience, 2M Black mm, Rega Elicit R, Elac FS407.

Finally got my copy and it is lovely, beautiful artwork. I like the fact that he rearranged the tracklistings, with Thalheim moving down to suit the mood and accomodate the new tracks. It is one for the Sylvian completists only though, as my copy does have a few electronic glitches and some crackling here and there and I use a Technics player. If not a completist, then I am sure a black vinyl copy will be along in the coming months, as these are 'cash cow' releases, aren't they, for the age group who mostly follow him.
Despite a few glitches it is lovely to have this finally on vinyl, but I wouldn't pay more than £10 extra on top for it, not with the issues described below and a black vinyl almost inevitable.

My journey with David Sylvian goes way back to the 80s and the release of Brilliant Trees. With every new release, I greatly anticipated and cherished the journey I had with each album. My return to Vinyl in the last few years has only intensified my joy with his music.
Funnily enough, though DBOAC on CD did not live up to what I considered the usual level for some reason.

With my attitude to this CD and reading all the reviews below... I was not expecting much from this DS Vinyl.

I am so glad to discover my misapprehension... this is a brilliant album.

Traveling deep into the DS universe happened and I see this album anew. So much so that I am still investigating what is so missing from the CD version. I may not be the ultimate Audioph.. but my system is decent...
Benz Micro WD SL, Rega RP6 modified with audiocom arm.. Pearl2 phono, VK50se pre, JC1 power, and Proac d38s... Rel328subs
With DBOAC, I have dynamic, accurate and rich as expected from good vinyl...

The surface noise and imperfections others talk about are mostly absent. There are a couple here or there, but no more than any of my other brand new copies and in no way get in the way of the experience.
I am happy to have got an original copy from my brother in the UK before the secondary prices jump too high.

Sorry to go on for so long but I thought I would be upset, but I am really happy with my BDOAC for sure...

As I write this, "Darkest dreaming" wafts in the background...

Now when will there be a Vinyl release of
Snow Borne Sorrow?

This is a strange one as, like others, I have had issues with my copy. I have two decks and this sounded awful on my Rega RP1, crackly, noisy etc. I then played it on my Technics 1210 and I had no issues at all! They both use the same cartridge.
A beautiful package and well worth queuing up all night for!

It is a discrase that after all these years they release such an bad pressing. And now it goes for big money but isn't worth a penny.

Heard a copy a friend bought, absolutely terrible pressing, but white opaque vinyl is a no no for fidelity's sake anyway, as are all opaque color vinyl pressings, I don't care how much money you spend on a stereo system, the quality of opaque colored vinyl is just not there and never was (do the research). The white vinyl matches the new artwork nicely and I can see why DS ok'd the new artwork for this as he did, but I don't think he was allowed to ok anything else since he's out of the Virgin label deal for good. Definitely for the DS completist only (which I am) but I am too much of an audiophile to listen to incredibly bad vinyl pressings of today (and spend hard-earned money on) for inferior sound quality like this. Sorry, not for me, I'll keep listening to my original CD. A clear vinyl pressing at 200gram or a milky white translucent pressing (like The Hafler Trio used to do) would have been a better choice for audio quality and would have fit in nicely with the artwork as well in my opinion but a major label like Virgin would never have the good artistic taste for something like that. I have original Laura Nyro and Miles Davis LP's (to name but a few) from the 60's that sound infinitely better today than this new pressing does. Also, less than one month after release and the vultures are already selling this for $100US. Sad.